Free February Computer Desktop Background

Oh how I love February. One month closer to warmer weather. AND...in case you don't remember...my birthday is on the 9th!! I was going to put a big reminder on this months desktop calendar so you would all remember my big day, but I thought that might be a bit much, no?

I am in the process of making a Valentine's Day themed digital scrapbook kit but am not quiet done yet. I used bits of the kit in this new computer desktop though. You can take the basic desktop calendar or customize one with your own picture. They're free just for you. Happy Birthday to me Valentine's Day!

Click below to get this free February 2012 desktop background for your computer:

1024x768 version | 1280x800 version

(regular sized monitor)      (Wide screen monitor)

And as always, we also have a desktop background you can customize. If you need a little help adding your own pictures, see how I recommend doing that by clicking here.

Click below to get this CUSTOM February 2012 desktop background for your computer:

1024x768 version | 1280x800 version

(regular sized monitor)      (Wide screen monitor)

These computer desktops are super easy to install. Check out my short tutorial so you can get this desktop up on your own computer screen!!! I have instructions for a PC and Mac.

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Want to be reminded when we post new freebies and desktop calendars?

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All Leelou designs are for personal use only. No commercial use or redistribution.  Please contact me if you have any other questions about their use. Thanks!

Free Valentine's Day Blog Backgrounds

Only one more day til February, so I thought I'd post some new Valentine blog backgrounds today! We have 5 new designs as well as some backgrounds and blog templates from last year too. Grab a free layout for your blog. They're calling your name :)

Remember, I have some new tutorials that show step by step instructions on how to install these bad boys. They literally take seconds to put up. Choose the layout you'd like to install and the instructions are all right there on the same page.

If you need even more Valentine's Day goodness in your life, you can also grab the free Valentine's Day printable cards that I made this year-

the printable cards I made a few years ago-

and the free Valentine Twitter backgrounds we have too. 


Tomorrow we will have a new desktop for you to put up on that computer of yours and I have one last Valentine's Day freebie coming near the end of this week. It's one of my favorites so don't miss it!!

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Check out our other free blog layouts too!

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Blogger Dashboard Tutorial - Layout

We're back doing a series of tutorials on the new blogger dashboard. We only have two left and then we're done! Today we'll be going over the Layout of your blog. The layout is pretty easy to navigate and understand. (Click on the image below to enlarge)

Let's start at the top. Blogger has a new Favicon feature that is fantastic. Favicons are the little icons that show up in the address bar of blogs and websites. You can easily upload your own image, but the only downfall is that you can't see these images in every web browser.

Below the favicon is where you can upload a header for your blog, change the title and tag line as well. 


You can add one of many Blogger gadgets to your blog such as a search bar, labels, hit counters, pictures, labels, maps, you name it. There are tons of gadgets! You can also add things like buttons, social media icons or free blog backgrounds to your blog. To rearrange the widgets and sidebar items, just drag and drop them where ever you'd like. Be sure to click the "Save Arrangement" button on the top right when you're done. 


With the new Blogger template designer, you can change the look of your layout and choose how many columns you'd like and where you want everything set up. You can also adjust the width of the sidebar, main post area and footer sections too.


One feature to watch in the Layout section is the Blog Post area. Click edit on this section and you'll find some really great options there as well. 

Some of these features let you:
-Choose how many posts you would like to show up on each page of your blog.
-If you use page breaks, you can customize the page link text
-Display the date a certain way
-Customize the words like Comments and Labels to say something a little different. For example you could change it so instead of your blog showing 2 comments you could have it say 2 Thoughts or 2 People have an opinion...whatever you want it to say
-Add quick reactions for people to click on after reading your posts
-Allow others to easily email your posts to others
-Add Share buttons
-Use a location on your posts
-Show Google Ads

The Layout page offers some great customizing options. Check it out and change up your blog a little today!

If you'd like to catch the rest of my tutorials in the new Blogger dashboard series or if you'd like to see my other tutorials, you can find them here.

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Free Valentine's Day Cards

Valentine's Day is one of my FAVORITE holidays. I am really good at making cards for every holiday, I'm just really horrible at printing them out and actually using said cards. It's the thought that counts, right?


This year I'm really trying to actually use the things I create, whether it's cards, banners...whatever. SOOOOO, here are 3 different Valentine's Day cards I've created for my oldest 3 kids this year. You can download the card templates for free and if you have a photo editing program, you can add your own pictures, names, etc. 

I had lot's of fun creating these and hope you're able to use them!

My daughter will be handing out these Tic Tac Toe cards with a box of conversation hearts candy so the kids can play along.

I saw cards similar to this floating around Pinterest but couldn't find a download anywhere. I knew it had to be made. Lovin' the mustache. I'm creating a few more mustache printables but I'll shave them for later. Muahahahaha....whew. It's been a long week...

The idea for this nerdy card came to me in the wee hours of the morning. It was perfect for my techno loving 4 year old. Hopefully you have a special nerd in your life that can benefit from it too.

Feel free to take one or all of the cards above. You're more than welcome to share the link, but please use them for personal use only.  I have some other cute Valentine's Day printables coming too, so be sure to check back soon!

-Don't know how to use the printables? Click here for some tips!

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Free Baby Shower Printable Banner

*UPDATE*

SOME OF YOU WERE HAVING A HARD TIME DOWNLOADING THIS PRINTABLE. I'VE FIXED IT SO IT SHOULD DOWNLOAD INSTANTLY NOW

I know about 97 people who are having babies within the next few months, so if you're like me, this free printable will come in handy! My friends at Peonies and Poppyseeds are awesome and have created this freebie for anyone to take.

This banner was made with my Lundstrom Park scrapbook kit and can spell out a combination of different things. Click below to download it and make sure to stop by Peonies and Poppyseeds to say thanks and to check out their other great freebies.

-Don't know how to use the printables? Click here for some tips!


-All Leelou Printables are for personal printed use only. No commercial use or redistribution.  Please contact me if you have any other questions about their use. Thanks!

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Be sure to grab this months free desktop calendar for your computer screen too!

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Blog Tutorial - Earnings and Blog Template

We are almost done with our tutorial series on the new Blogger Dashboard. Today we'll focus on 2 features- the Earnings and Layout sections. Be sure to check out my past tutorials to get caught up!

First we're going to tackle Earnings. At no cost, you can place Google ads on your blog. You can choose what you'd like these ads to look like, change the colors and sizes, choose whether you'd like them to be just text or have images and place them anywhere on your blog. 

These ads are targeted towards your blogs content and visitors. When they're clicked on, you earn money. Click on the Sign up for AdSense button in your dashboard to get started. 

Here is a quick video from Google that will explain how AdSense works if you'd like a little more info.

The next thing we're going to talk about is the Template section in your dashboard.

Below are 2 screen shots. Click on them to enlarge the images and you can see the notes I added.

The Template page gives you the opportunity to customize your blog by choosing all sorts of things like the fonts, colors, sizes, arrangement of everything and so so much more. This is one of my favorite new features Blogger has for us. You can check out one of my past tutorials on how to customize your blog to get more tips.

The Template section is also where your blog HTML is located. Blogger even has a new feature where you can set up how you would like your blog to appear on mobile devices.

Then there is a collection of blog designs that Blogger has created. The top row features the newest designs that Blogger just released. They have some major pros and cons. These designs are very different. Some look nothing like the normal blog set up we are used to. They're fun and new, though. I have noticed that if you use Google Chrome as your web browser, these dynamic views are a little more detailed and look much better than they do on another web browser like Internet Explorer or Firefox. For example, when you use Chrome, you can hover over the pictures and they move, flip or change size.

One thing that kind of stinks about these fun layouts is that you're not able to access the coding. This limits how much you're able to customize your blog. I'm a customizing freak, so although these are fun to look at, they aren't something I would normally use. They also lack sidebars. If anyone is doing a 365 blog this year, where you post a photo every day, these are perfect!

If you have some time, make a practice blog and play around with them yourself. Very different, but kind of fun.

The Template page is also where you can back up your HTML. Always be sure to back up your current HTML! Especially when downloading one of my free blog layouts. That way, if something goes wrong you can always revert back to how you previously had your blog set up. 

Hopefully that was helpful and can clear up some confusion for some of you. This new blogger interface is something I'm really learning to love. Catch up on my previous tutorials and follow along to see new ones each week!

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Blog Tutorial - Using Your Stats

For this weeks tutorial we'll be talking about the stats on your blog. Using the stats feature is really beneficial and also fun. You can learn all kinds of crazy stuff. Before we start, be sure to switch over to the new blogger interface if you haven't already. It's super easy.

Free January 2012 Desktop Calendar

Happy 2012 everyone!!! Hope you all had a rockin' New Years. Anyone do something super fun? My husband and I turned on the TV around 11:55 to watch the ball drop. Then my husband continued his marathon of X Files and I returned to my computer. Don't be too jealous.


If it makes it sound any better, I was working on this baby below. The first free computer desktop calendar of the year. Download it today for your computer!


*UPDATE* I see that I forgot to add the 31st of January on these calendars. I've fixed them all now so when you download it, they will have all the dates correctly!

Click below to get this free January 2012 desktop background for your computer:

1024x768 version | 1280x800 version

(regular sized monitor)      (Wide screen monitor)

We also have a desktop background you can customize. If you need a little help adding your own pictures you can see how I recommend doing that by clicking here.

Click below to get this CUSTOM January 2012 desktop background for your computer:

1024x768 version | 1280x800 version

(regular sized monitor)      (Wide screen monitor)

Installing these desktop calendars is incredibly EASY. Check out my short tutorial so you can get this desktop up on your own computer screen!!! I have instructions for a PC and Mac.

Meredith Cardall is one of my favorite designers so I popped on over to her shop to check out the latest goods. I had several kits of hers that I wanted to use this month but then I saw this one called A Brand New Day and it was meant to be. Thanks Meredith for letting us use your cute kit!

I love the new year to get organized and set some new goals that I'll likely abandon in a few months. At least I have good intentions, right?


I found a couple excellent New Years ideas on Pinterest that you have to check out. So cute!
Click on the images below to find out about them.

          

I want to make these 3 things this month. What are your resolutions?

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Want to be reminded when we post new freebies and desktop calendars?

Get Leelou Blogs newest posts sent to your email or in your blog reader.

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All Leelou designs are for personal use only. No commercial use or redistribution.  Please contact me if you have any other questions about their use. Thanks!

Free Christmas Digital Scrapbook kit

Hey everyone!! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. We had a fantastic time around here and are partying it up with school still being out.  Between sleeping in, playing games, gorging on sugar cookies and being completely lazy, I've had the most amazing vacation.


Santa decided to finally force me out of my comfort zone and delivered a much needed new computer, but now I'm having a heck of a time getting used to it. I do not do well with change! If anyone can tell me why Mac's screen colors are so different and how to fix them, that would be fantastic. It's throwing me off big time!


I'll be spending the week learning a new process and having anxiety attacks, but I'll be back next year on the ol' blog. 


Until then...

I created a Christmas mini scrapbook kit that I'd love to share with you if you're interested. It will be free until Friday, so be sure to download it quickly! Have fun scrapping those holiday pictures :)

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Very Last Minute Gift Ideas!

Only a few more days until Christmas and if you're anything like me, you have about a million things to do! Having everyone out of school and all these treats at my house isn't helping me be any more productive either.

Today I have a couple last minute gift ideas. It's probably safe to say that it's too late to ship presents and have them arrive in time for Christmas. These gifts are all things that you can print off right away so you'll be sure to have them ready to go Sunday morning.

First up is THE CUTEST THING!

You have to go check out Lily and Thistle. What little girl doesn't want a personalized paper doll? 

My sister just ordered some and she got to create a doll that looks just like her daughter. She ordered the whole package and was sent this great kit that came with the Personalized MiniMe doll and name stand, 6 adorable outfits, a reusable adhesive strip, a special "Keepsake Doll Set" that is signed and dated by the artist Hannah Stevenson, PDF files with custom doll, outfits, and "All About Me" pages for reprinting. 

You probably couldn't get all the great extra stuff shipped in time, but order the PDF files and you can have it all emailed to you! I love this idea because when your kids wear out the paper dolls, you can just get on your computer and print them out again.

They even have a dress of the month club that sends a new outfit straight to your email on the first of the month. Lily and Thistle...Awesome!!

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Next cool download is My Memories Suite version 3. This is the latest version of My Memories Suite that just came out a few weeks ago. There are a bunch of great new features that I'll blog about soon, but this is honestly the greatest Christmas gift for anyone who wants to start digital scrapbooking or making printables and cards. 

The greatest new feature of all is that YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN BLOG HEADERS NOW! The last version of My Memories Suite didn't allow you to customize a rectangular blog header, but I mentioned that they should add this new feature and they were awesome enough to do it! 

To learn more about my love for My Memories and get yourself a $10 off coupon, click here!

Once again, this gift is a download and you can get it right away!

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I found these pretty packages on Pinterest this week and love them. I might try this on a few presents this year. My Mom would love it.

      

And if you're an over achiever, you can make these super cute felt flowers to put on top of your presents just because they're so cute. And apparently they don't require sewing, which works out pretty fantastic for me.

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Ladies, you might need to order a new dress for a spectacular New Years Eve party. 

This dress below is called the Ashley dress and it is from Just Stop Staring. All of their dresses are original and vintage inspired and fit like no one's business. I'm not even kidding. I have seen Just Stop Staring dresses all over the Internet on a variety of celebrities and even on the red carpet. 

The Ashley dress is my fav and has a fantastic waistline, cap sleeve and boat neck.

Well hello Ashley, wearing the Ashley dress. How ironic.

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Last funny thing...if you use Google Chrome (which I think everyone should use cause it's fantastic!) or Safari, go to Google.com and type in "Let it snow". Then wait a minute. And laugh. 'Cause that's funny stuff.

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Alright, that sums up my last minute gift ideas. Hopefully some of that helps. You are more than welcome to grab my Christmas printable kit or conversations cards for your holiday dinners too.

And don't forget to share your holiday traditions for a chance to win a $200 Target gift card!

I'll be hanging out with the family for a bit, but will be back next year with lots of great new freebies, blog designs and giveaways for ya.

Thank you all for following along this year. I love this little space of mine on the internet and it makes my day that you all stop by from time to time. I truly hope you all have the best Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

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